Students win award for probiotics project
TWO secondary school students from Co Wexford have been presented with a prestigious national award for their research into the benefits of EM probiotics in agriculture.
Conn Caomhánach and Con Ó’Meachair, who are 5th year students in Meánscoil Gharman, in Enniscorthy, were among the top young minds in the country competing at this year’s SciFest National Final.
Their project - which looked at what benefits ‘everything microorganisms (EM)’ probiotics have on agriculture - saw them receive the Irish Science Teachers Association Award.
During their research they tested EM probiotics as a natural fertilizer and worked under the hypothesis that EM will decrease ammonia gas released by nitrogen fertilizer.
The study showed that EM probiotics have a significant effect on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while also boosting plant growth.
The two students were presented with their award by Mary Mullaghy from the Irish Science Teachers’ Association.
Conn and Con secured their place at the National Final after their success at the SciFest regional final in Waterford Institute of Technology.
SciFest is an all-island STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) initiative which fosters active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second level students.
Over 10,000 students participate in local and regional SciFest STEM fairs each year and the two Wexford students were among 63 from around the country who exhibited 37 projects at the national final.